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Watershed-Friendly Project Expo

posted May 15, 2013, 9:36 AM by Cathy Craver

Watershed-Friendly Project Expo

Saturday, June 1, 2013 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Bloedel Donovan Park, 2214 Electric Ave. Bellingham

Homeowners
can browse through booths at this free, open-house style event. Meet expert
landscapers and contractors, feel samples of watershed-friendly mulches, drain
rock, sand, and permeable concrete, and see examples of rainwater tanks, pavers
and native plants. Do-it-yourselfers can find experts to answer their
questions, while those looking to hire a capable contractor can meet multiple
professionals in one day.

"Our
goal is to help homeowners do projects that both meet their personal goals and
protect water quality," said Eli Mackiewicz, coordinator of the Lake
Whatcom Homeowner Incentive Program. "We want to provide homeowners with
the support and resources they need to turn their ideas into on-the-ground
realities."

"Around
Lake Whatcom, we're trying to reduce the amount of phosphorus that runs off the
landscape into the lake, " Mackiewicz said. "Lawns release as much
phosphorus in one month as a forest does in one year. Many of the projects Lake
Whatcom homeowners are choosing include reducing lawn and increasing native
plants, and finding ways to manage runoff on their properties."

This free event is
coordinated by the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County with cooperation from
Sustainable Connections as part of the Homeowner Incentive Program (HIP). The
HIP provides financial and technical assistance to Lake Whatcom Watershed residents
who make voluntary improvements to their properties to protect and restore
water quality in the lake.